Trust investing in electric vehicles

Health officials are looking to spend more on patient care after investing in a fleet of electric vehicles.

One of the largest NHS trusts in the north east has moved to an almost all-electric fleet of vehicles with the help of Nissan with savings in transport costs being reinvested in patient care.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has added 13 of Nissan’s all-electric e-NV200 vans, which offer ultra-low running costs and zero emissions mobility, and is using them to deliver health supplies and mail and collect samples across its hospital and community sites throughout Northumberland.

From initial data, it is expected that the vehicles will cut running costs by 80 per cent, enabling several thousands of pounds to be put back into patient care and go towards developing health services.

Michael Taylor, Northumbria Healthcare’s hotel services manager, with responsibility for the fleet, said: “We approached Nissan and put the e-NV200 on trial; the results were so positive with significant savings on the cost of diesel and therefore we decided to add 13 to our fleet. We’re delighted that what we’ve done has been recognised on the national stage.”

The trust’s e-NV200s cover up to 110 miles a day, and can be recharged from zero to 80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes.

Michael said: “We’ve been very impressed by the performance of the e-NV200 and it’s definitely helped to change perceptions of electric vehicles among our staff.”